New Delhi: Coal imports in October reflected a divergent pattern, with coking coal shipments rising even as overall coal imports declined due to surplus domestic availability.
According to mjunction services ltd, India imported 20.97 million tonnes (MT) of coal during the month, down 3.9 per cent from 21.84 MT a year earlier.
Coking coal imports, however, rose 12 per cent to 5.04 MT from 4.50 MT in the same period last year.
The increase was driven largely by winter restocking by steel producers who typically secure additional raw materials ahead of the colder months, when logistics and transport disruptions become more likely.
Coking coal remains a key input for steel manufacturing, prompting steady demand despite the broader dip in coal shipments.
Industry analysts expect import levels to stay muted in the coming quarter. mjunction MD & CEO Vinaya Varma said imports are likely to remain subdued due to higher domestic output in the January–March period.
Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan recently told Parliament that the government is working continuously to strengthen domestic coal supply, aiming to replace all substitutable imports and ensure only essential coal is sourced from overseas.
In 2024, a new sub-sector—Steel using Coking Coal through the WDO route—was introduced to boost domestic consumption of coking coal and increase the supply of washed coking coal, thereby reducing dependence on imports.
The government has also launched a Coking Coal Mission to enhance domestic availability for the steel sector and support efforts to cut coking coal imports.